Friday, June 15, 2007

Judging by the greeting cards, Father's Day is like a Sabbath for many men, aday Dad puts his feet up. I think the Almighty was able to rest one day a weekbecause he had just the two kids, only one of whom was male. I could really usea restful Father's Day, but recently I found my sons huddled over a book ontraps, which makes me fear that they're planning for my gift to be somethinglive. Already this spring they've captured a snake, a bullfrog and at least onedeadly spider. While other men think about golfing or napping tomorrow, I'mpraying I can weather the day without getting bitten.

*****

Not only do I believe that trying to take the wildness out of boys is adoomed social experiment, but I'm certain that genetic scientists willeventually discover that males carry the Cowboy Gene. That's my name forwhatever is responsible for all the wrestling in my house, and the dunkingduring bath time, and my 5-year-old's insistence on wearing his silversix-shooters to Wal-Mart in order to protect our grocery cart. I only praythat when the Cowboy Gene is discovered, some well-meaning utopian doesn'ttry to transform it into a Tea Party Gene.